Niña Artista came about in my mind, in a flash. It was a vision of the entire piece, that I was able to fly into and explore, while still in my mind's eye. I didn't question what it meant or why to create it, but knew I had to get this idea out quickly. Some paintings come to me in this way, and I can try to figure them out later. The figure or child in the middle represents a child painter, but could be any child with aspiring dreams and imagination; pretty much all children.

As life goes on and we learn to fit into society, life can get complicated, with kids of our own, mortgages, jobs,responsibilities. It's easy to get sucked into the whirlwind of life and lose sight of the child we once were; the child full of hope, imagination and dreams. I think if we keep that light alive, inside of us, we can aspire to come into our true and authentic selves.

The message of this painting for me is hope; to hold on, look to the light, and not lose sight of that child within us.